Under-sing cabinet waterproof system

ABSTRACT

A water resistant cabinet system for protecting and collecting unwanted water under a sink, comprising: a rear wall extending between a top edge and a bottom surface; a first and second side wall attached to a first and second opposite verticle portion of the rear wall; a floor connecting to the rear wall and the first and second side walls, and sloping away from the rear wall; and a lip, attached to the floor and positioned opposite and parallel to the rear wall, and extending in an upward direction sufficient to collect water proximate the lip. The sloping angle of the floor from the rear wall is from 90 to 120 degrees. The water resistant cabinet system further comprising a drain hole, positioned proximate the lip, extending through the floor, and sized to drain water that collects on the floor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

NA

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

NA.

MICROFICHE

NA

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to leakage water collection systems for countertop sinks. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an under-sink cabinet system for collecting leakage water from a countertop kitchen and the like sink and plumbing system.

(2) Background of the Invention

Moisture can cause damage to surfaces and materials, and particularly those not designed to be moisture resistant. This is especially true for natural products such as wood cabinets, wooden building structures, and paper-backed sheet rock. Wood products, such as furnishings, and especially under sink cabinets, as well as wooden structures are quickly damaged by moisture which may cause swelling, warping, and eventually rot. Moisture can also create health hazards such as mold, mildew, and bacterial growth. The area under a sink installed on a wooden cabinet is an area that is prone to damage and health hazards caused by water leaks from, for example, the sink, the garbage disposal device, and any plumbing pipes therearound. Traditional solutions to this problem involve protecting the area under the sink, which is commonly a wood or particle board cabinet, by covering the surfaces under the sink with a water resistant film to prevent the water from reaching the structure itself. However this method is often ineffective in preventing the water reaching the wooden storage space beneath the sink and ends up being damaged. Many homeowners and landlords are forced to replace or repair kitchen sink cabinet structures damaged by undetected leaks, and drips, from water pipes, fixtures, valves and hoses inside the sink cabinet. Unfortunately, some leaks drip slowly and go undetected for several days or weeks causing substantial damage to the wooden sink cabinet and the surrounding walls and floors. In most instances, the leaks caused by loose or improperly aligned plumbing joints, fixtures or water tanks or cracked hoses and tubes located therein. In some instances, the water drips vertically and forms a pool on the wooden cabinet floor and can be easily located. In other instances, the water will drip onto a lower pipe or tube that carries it away and form a pool at a remote location. Unfortunately, the remote location may be located along the back panel of the wooden cabinet and can to undetected for several days. Once the remote pool is detected, tracing the drip back to the original leak can be difficult.

For removing water dripping or leaking from the kitchen sinks, homeowners and landlords will place a collection bin, such as a pan, a pitcher or a small bucket, on the floor of the cabinet directly under the source of the leak to temporarily collect the water and prevent further damage. Unfortunately, the storage space under a cabinet is usually limited by a drain trap, a garbage disposal, a dishwasher drain hose, by hot and cold water hoses, and by dish cleaning supplies that can prevent proper placement of a collection bin directly under the leak.

One proposed solution, which is herein incorporated by reference for its supportive teachings, is a rigid pan-type device such as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,638. Though this provides the benefit of containing more water such prior art devices are difficult to install and do not provide complete protection. For example, the area under a sink, especially within a cabinet, is typically small and the tray do not provide complete covering to the wooden cabinet walls under the sink. Prior art devices are difficult to install in a cabinet because they are made of a rigid material that does not allow the device to fit within the cabinet.

Most of the water collections systems just described suffers from several drawbacks. First, they are somewhat difficult to place under the cabinet for collecting all the water that may seep through the walls of the cabinet structures. Second, they are difficult to remove for draining the water collected therein. Finally, they cannot be fit properly inside the kitchen cabinets of different sizes. Hence there exists a need for an improved water collection system for kitchen cabinets supporting countertop sinks that overcomes the drawbacks of all existing systems and provides complete leakage water collection within the cabinet structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide an under-sink cabinet system for collecting water dripping from a kitchen sink installed on a cabinet structure. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved under-sink cabinet system for collecting water dripping from a tabletop kitchen sink installed on a cabinet structure and has all the advantages of the prior arts designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.

Some embodiments of the invention is to provide a water resistant cabinet system for protecting and collecting unwanted water under a sink, comprising: a rear wall extending between a top edge and a bottom surface; a first and second side wall attached to a first and second opposite verticle portion of the rear wall; a floor connecting to the rear wall and the first and second side walls, and sloping away from the rear wall; and a lip, attached to the floor and positioned opposite and parallel to the rear wall, and extending in an upward direction sufficient to collect water proximate the lip.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a sloping angle of the floor from the rear wall is from 90 to 120 degrees.

Yet, a further feature of the invention is to provide a water resistant cabinet system that has a drain hole, positioned proximate the lip, extending through the floor, and sized to drain water that collects on the floor.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention, thus the drawings are generalized in form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an under-sink cabinet insert system for collecting water dripping from a kitchen sink installed on a cabinet structure, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the under-sink cabinet insert system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional side view of the under-sink cabinet insert system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that the embodiments may be combined, or that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural and logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

FIGS. 1 and 2 is a perspective view of an under-sink cabinet insert system 100 for collecting water dripping from a kitchen sink and associated plumbing systems installed under a cabinet structure, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The under-sink cabinet system 100 is provided as an integral section to the existing or newly built cabinet structures for collecting water dripping or leaking from the sink installed on the wooden or brickwall cabinet structures. The present under-sink cabinet insert system 100 can be employed for collecting water at both indoors and outdoors and for both household and commercial use. The under-sink cabinet insert system 100 is in the shape of an open box structure as illustrated creating a open area 102 that can be inserted and built into standard cabinets. The cabinet structure 100 is fabricated of water resistant material and designed to fit into a standard cabinet structure by attaching to the left and right side of standard cabinet structures. The cabinet struction 100 includes a rear wall 104 extending between a top edge and a bottom surface 108 of the cabinet structure and a pair of side walls 106 a, 106 b attached to a pair of edges of the rear wall 104 and extending between the top edges and the bottom surface of the cabinet structure. The cabinet structure 100 notably includes a floor panel 108 connecting the bottom edges of the rear wall 104 and the pair of side walls 106 a, 106 b. The floor panel 108 is at an angle 120 that is greater than 90 degrees from the back wall 104, thus sloping toward the lip 110, so that any water therein will flow to the lip 110. A lip portion 110 is integral to a front edge of the floor panel 108 and both side walls 106 a and 106 b, which is positioned opposite to the rear wall 104. The lip 110 extends in an upward direction, preferably a few inches, to collect dripwater from the sink that is falling on the floor panel 108. The lip portion 110 and the floor panel 108 forms a water collecting area near the front edge of the floor panel 108 due to the angled slop 120 of the floor 108. It is noted that a toe space 109 is included as is typical in most all caninets.

Additionally, there is illustrated that the cabinet structure includes other features. For example, a right side attachment section 121 may be coupled to side 106 a. Additionally, it is illustrated that a counter top 115 may be located over the counter assembly in any known fashion and extend over the entire cabinet structure 100, though top 115 is only illustrated to extend over the left side of the structure for demonstration purposes only. There is also a face board 111 that is mountable over the upper section of the cabinet 100, which is typical to many types of cabinets. It is noted that the cabinet 100 may have a support structure (not numbered) that extends from the two sides 106 a and b at the region behind the face board 111, to support the mounting of the the face board 111. Additionally, there is illustrated typical cabinet doors 113 that would be mounted to an outside surface of the cabinet 100 in any known fashion. A toe board 115 would be attached across a length of the cabinet 100. Right mounted section 121 may have a face board 123 as illustrated, but my contain several sliding drawers mounted in any known fashion. Section 121 my have an end wall 124 as illustrated. It is noted that section 121 my be structured in any known cabinet fashion sufficidntly designed to be structurally coupled to the supporting wall 106 b. It is further noted that walls 106 a, b and 104 do not need to be complete sheets as illustrated, but may be made in any known fashion, including using only support beams and posts, struts, brackets, etc. that do not form a solid wall, but allow for free flow of air and create openings therethrough all or some walls areas.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view of the under-sink cabinet system 100, according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure incorporating similar numbers to the previous figures for similar elements. The cross section of the under-sink cabinet system 100 reveals the placement of the floor panel 108 and its slope 120 towards the lip portion 110 for collecting the water leaked from the sink and plumbing structures located within the cabinet structure area 102. Thus the under-sink cabinet insert system 100 enables the users to utilize the space under the sink, within the cabinet structure, for storing objects. When there is leakage from the sink or plumbing related items, the water gets collected next to the lip portion 110. Further, there is illustrated a drain hole 127 and a drain cover 125. Thus, by removing the drain cover 125 any standing water in the area will drip through the drain hole 127 and into any water catching device, like a pan (not shown), that may be located in the toe space 109. It is noted that the drain hole may be located close to the lip, and there may be several drain holes positioned along the length of the lip 110. Additionally, there may be individual sloping toward each drain hole. For example, the entire bottome 108 will slope toward the lip 110, but, in addition, each drain hole will have additional slopeing from the right and left sides toward each drain hole, as viewed from a front side of the cabinet 100 opposite to wall 104. Thus, each drain hole 127 will have a separate drain area. Additionally, there may be a single drain 127, wherein this embodiment would have a sloping from the walls 106 a and b toward the single drain. Thus two sloping angles will be provided, one from wall 104, going from the back to the front, and a second sloping from the walls 106 a and b, from the right and left sides appropriately.

Additionally, there is illustrated support walls 115 and 103 and bottom space 107 that are formed by the cabinet structure below floor 108 as illustrated. It is noted that one embodiment has the wall 106 a and b extending above and below floor 108.

Additionally, it is noted that the floor 108 may have a slope of up to 30 degrees or more, wherein the angle from the back wall 104 may be from 90-120 degrees or more.

It is further noted, the lip 110 can be provided at different heights, in some cases up to five inches or more, and extends in the upward direction to collect water between the lip portion 110 and the floor panel 108. The size of the lip portion 110 and the size of the walls are selected based on the space inside the cabinet structure.

Kitchen and bathroom sinks are installed at homes and commercial buildings, like restaurants and other places, for allowing users to wash their hands and plates and other kitchen and household items. The sinks typically involve countertops, which is illustrated by a partial illustrated countertop 115, and are fitted over the entire structure in known fashion. The pipe fittings (not illustrated) to the sinks includes the water supply pipe and the drainage pipe, which usually runs under the sink inside the vacant space of the cabinet structure. In some instances, there often will be leakages from the drainage pipes under the sink and other leakages from the sink edge portions.

The present under-sink cabinet insert system 100 offers a reliable and easy to maintain arrangement that integrally fits into and is part of the typical cabinet structure, under the sink 102 installed as part of the cabinet structure. The present under-sink cabinet system 100 can be easily installed by anyone and can easily drain the water collected next to the lip 110. The size of the rear wall 104, the pair of sidewalls 106 a, 106 b, the lip portion 110 and the floor panel 108 can be varied depending on the size of the cabinet structure to form a single mold of open box structure 102 to fit inside the cabinet. In a preferred embodiment, the rear wall 104, the pair of sidewalls 106 a, 106 b, the floor panel 108 and the lip portion 110 are made of or potentially coated with mildew resistant material. Moreover the present open box structure 102 is made from lightweight, durable and water and termite resistant materials, such as, but not limited to most any known plastic or fiber material. The present under-sink cabinet system 100 is designed to fit under countertop sinks that are installed on wooden and brickwall cabinets. However, the under-sink cabinet system 100 can easily modified during the fabrication process to fit under the normal kitchen sinks placed inside the cabinet structure. In such an arrangement, the under-sink cabinet system 100 has the rear wall 104 with reduced height to fit inside the cabinet structure and to collect the water dripping from the piping arrangements under the sink. In some embodiment, the rear wall 104 of the under-sink cabinet insert system 100 includes proper arrangements to cover the piping arrangements under the normal kitchen sink and to collect the dripping or leakage water and to store it within the lip portion 110 of the under-sink cabinet insert system 100.

In an alternative embodiment, the cabinet system 100 may be designed as an insert for existing cabinets. For example, there may be a cabinet that is already installed in a kitchen, and a user desires to improve their cabinets without having to completely remodel and remove their existing cabinets. Therefore, by simply inserting the waterproof cabinet 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1, there would be a new internal cabinet lining with the waterproof benefits of the water proof material protecting the existing cabinet structure material typically found under a sink and such water catching areas. Of course, the measurements of the waterproof cabinet insert would be made to fit within the existing measures of standard cabinets. Whereby, the back and side walls do not need to extend all the way up to the top edges of the inside dimentions of the cabinet area, and in fact may only be a portion of the height of a normal cabinet. For example, anywhere from 10-90% of the existing height will be sufficient to achieve the desired water protection. Whereby, the side walls do not have to be even the same heighty as the back wall, as the back wall may be more difficult to fit into and around existing plumbing and disposals devices. Of course in that design, a drain 127 may or may not be included, depending upon the ability to drill into the existing cabinets and insert the drains connection to the toe space 109. Whereby, unlike FIG. 3, there would be a removal of the support wall 115 and 103 that extend below floor 108.

Further, it should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, (6). Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of use arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc., may be sufficient.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope of the present invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto. 

We/I claim as follows:
 1. A water resistant cabinet system for protecting and collecting unwanted water under a sink, comprising: a) a rear wall extending between a top edge and a bottom surface; b) a first and second side wall attached to a first and second opposite verticle portion of the rear wall; c) a floor connecting to the rear wall and the first and second side walls, and sloping away from the rear wall; and d) a lip, attached to the floor and positioned opposite and parallel to the rear wall, and extending in an upward direction sufficient to collect water proximate the lip.
 2. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 1, wherein the sloping angle of the floor from the rear wall is from 90 to 120 degrees.
 3. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 2, comprising a drain hole, positioned proximate the lip, extending through the floor, and sized to drain water that collects on the floor.
 4. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 3, comprising a drain plug, removably positioned to cover the drain hole and prevent water from entering therethrough the drain hole.
 5. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 4, wherein the rear wall, the first and second sidewalls, and the floor panel are made of materials that are water resistant.
 6. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 5, wherein the lip extends in the upward direction for a length sufficient to collect water between the lip and the floor panel.
 7. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 5, wherein the water resisteant cabinet system is sized and dimensioned to be inserted into an existing cabinet structure.
 8. The water resistant cabinet system of claim 7, wherein the first and second side walls and the rear wall are shorter than the existing cabinet structure.
 9. An insertable water resistant cabinet system for protecting and collecting unwanted water under a sink, comprising: a) a rear wall extending between a top edge and a bottom surface; b) a first and second side wall attached to a first and second opposite verticle portion of the rear wall; c) a floor connecting to the rear wall and the first and second side walls, and sloping away from the rear wall; and d) a lip, attached to the floor and positioned opposite and parallel to the rear wall, and extending in an upward direction sufficient to collect water proximate the lip; whereby the water resistant cabinet system is removably positioned inside an existing cabinet structure that is currently supporting the sink to collect unwanted water near the lip for easy removal.
 10. The insertable water resistant cabinet system of claim 9, wherein the first and second side walls and the back wall are shorter than the existing cabinet structure.
 11. The insertable water resistant cabinet system of claim 9, wherein the rear wall, the pair of sidewalls, and the floor panel are molded from water resistant materials including wood, plastic and fiber.
 12. The insertable water resistant cabinet system of claim 9, wherein the rear wall has a height that is different than the pair of sidewalls.
 13. The insertable water resistant cabinet system of claim 9, wherein the sloping angle of the floor from the rear wall is from 90 to 120 degrees.
 14. The insertable water resistant cabinet system of claim 9, comprising a drain hole, positioned proximate the lip, extending through the floor, and sized to drain water that collects on the floor.
 15. The insertable water resistant cabinet system of claim 14, comprising a drain plug, removably positioned to cover the drain hole and prevent water from entering therethrough the drain hole. 